Legends and lore

Founded by Lorenzo Richiardi in 2001, Numeroquattro is a studio with a growing interest in package design. Collaborating with olive oil producer Tenute Quattro, the studio’s labels for Terre di Cleta were inspired by a tale from Greek mythology that relates to Calabria, where the olive grove stands.

Legend states that Cleta, a nurse, journeyed by sea to recover the body of Amazonian queen Penthesilea, killed by Achilles during the Trojan War. When the vessel was shipwrecked on the Calabrian shores, Cleta founded the city that bears her name.

For the Terre di Cleta label, the mix of overlapping materials creates a tactile mix of matte, foiled and glossy finishes. Richiardi says: ‘The three-dimensional approach aims to recreate the terrain’s slopes and its olive groves, just as one would see when looking towards the horizon.’ The label, made of Tintoretto Gesso Greaseproof, was used for its ‘anti-fingerprint treatment, ensuring the label remains intact during use’.

A similar approach was used on labels for Italian winery La Lepre e la Luna [The Hare and the Moon], named after a Japanese legend. This floral technique was connected to the Italian tradition of planting a rose in close proximity to each row in the vineyard to help prevent nutrient deficiencies and plant diseases. Because roses are more vulnerable to these issues, they can alert the winemakers to potential problems.

For Numeroquattro, ‘it wasn’t enough to simply draw the flower’, so they hand-glued genuine stabilised rose petals, making each bottle unique. Cotone Bianco WS Barrier was chosen because ‘it can perfectly resist moisture’.

In both projects – Terre di Cleta and La Lepre e la Luna – the product name features on the hot-stamped neck labels.